Date Approved

Embargo Period

Document Type

Degree Name

Department

College

First Advisor

Klanderman, John

Subject(s)

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America; Children with social disabilities--Education; Mentoring in education

Disciplines

Educational Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of school-based mentoring on at-risk youth. The study was conducted on a group of clients from a Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. The clients were individuals who are at risk of academic and social failure or difficulty. The experimental group consisted of 21 students who were receiving mentoring services on a weekly basis. The control group consisted of 18 students who remained on a waiting list to be mentored. The variables examined were self-concept, behavioral and developmental issues, and academic performance. The extent, if any, to which mentoring benefits an individual was computed by comparing scores gained through pre and post tests from the experimental group with the control group. T-tests of independent samples were used to determine significance. Only one significant result was found in the area of personal competency. Results suggest that, while there appears to be a positive relationship between mentoring and self-concept, behavior and development, and academic performance, it is not significant when compared to the absence of mentoring.